Friday, July 22, 2011

Well I've covered pretty much all classes so far except for those backline healers known as Clerics. While I don't have a particular fondness for playing this class, if there is interest in Cleric-based material, I'd be willing to write some things up.

If the interest is there, what would you like to see from me on this class? I've already shot video of me Clericing a Mara KQ on the character pictured above, will probably upload that sometime today. Watching that video though, it's quite boring. I played the role of full-support, just hanging back, healing my party or whoever had aggro around me... I didn't swing my Mace a single time. But is that at all interesting?

I can probably make it up to Mini Dragon or even Crystal Castle without too much problem and not too much effort since I can powerlevel myself fairly easily, a 107 SharpShooter works well for times like these (*wink*). But again, wanted to gauge interest before I invest the time and a bit of SparkCash into doing so.

So anyway, let me know your thoughts. I really don't want to activate stuff on my HolyKnight to do LN or SL runs, and watching me heal an AOE Black Bear Party or bashing on Mimics isn't exactly interesting either.

Please post a comment here, positive or negative. I really don't enjoy playing support, but I'm willing to do so for you guys if you think it's a good idea. I'd mostly be doing the same stuff as my Project: Tank series of videos, minus the CC-Solo.

13 comments:

I really don't like playing a cleric because there not very interesting to me but lately I have been experiencing lack of clerics in Kqs im lvl 58 and haven't seen many decent low level clerics I'd rather see something else though than a cleric version of Project tank

Watching videos where you just heal constantly is probably boring and less exciting than say the Tanking series, but I would like to see some discussion around constitutes a 'good' cleric, according to your own personal experiences -- taking it from the perspective of 100% Player vs Environment. You've also had a feel for all the classes -- and so your own opinions on what a 'good' 100% PvE support cleric (non-clanker) would look like (build-wise, skill-wise), and also how they act/perform could be insightful.

Here are some questions that have often come up around the class around forums and as well as in-game conversations:

"If it feels like your heal-botting, your playing the role of cleric support right? (See video of FatalLace clericing Mara KQ)"

"Holy Knight or Guardian? Which to choose if I'm 100% PvE oriented and want to help other players in PvE content?"

"Mace or Hammer, a matter of personal preference? What about in parties or KQs as a healing-support cleric, does it matter?"

"Clerics and Aggro: How to manage it when working with other classes during normal quest parties or KQ events."

Good to give the heads-up that you do not like playing support the way a cleric does, any work you do put in will be that much more appreciated for what it's worth.

@Anonymous (1st Poster) - Yeah, Clericing vids don't really appeal to me, but there's some humor in the runs I've done, from overpulling bosses in the final battle in Mara, to party mates asking me to buff them (yes, they meant Endure), to players chastising the Clerics for not healing them out of party (the guy was an archer, he wasn't tanking anything but a single Mara Pirate).

I'd rather not make vids blacklisting players or mocking them, but that's mostly the only thing of interest I can find in a potential video series featuring Clerics.

Maybe you can talk about the abuse that clerics have to deal with lol. I think the main thing about clerics is how to endure the troubles that Isya gives them. I know in your blog Fatal, that you like to help and educate people...so helping people deal with these problems that clerics deal with in Isya would be interesting. What do you do in situations where people are disrespectful to you? For example, the buff spammers. The random rude people. People that just use you. In parties, they have to watch everyone's hp and have a very biggggg job in a party. The path of a cleric is not a peaceful one. Everyone likes to blame the cleric and those clerics usually quit. People do not party them, they can't practise, and then you have bad clerics. Some people just use you and you cannot even be a good PvPer, unless you go the holyknight route...there just decent though. So, what's a cleric to do when your friends don't help you? Where to solo? How to get parties? How to ENDURE some people on this game? They treat clerics badly. So, I guess you can make an article on how to deal with others... how to practise as a cleric? What makes a good cleric? whats cleric gameplay like at prestige? What to do in situations where everythng is going wrong and people blame? Do you give up? (just some ideas xD)

There's a sizeable populaton of clerics and I believe they would be interested. As for me, I'll always been interested in what you do, FatalLace. Ever since I posed half-naked for your magazine.(lol) Bad picture(age 13+ only)D:< : http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh286/needusername/screenshot559-1.jpg

Topics about clerics that I'm interested about:

-soloing...where to solo? tips about soloing as a cleric? well, im going to be soloing soon on my clerc to prestige lol...that's something i'm interested about. Reason i'm going to solo is because all my DT friends outleveled me or quit at 86.

-md kq...just recently i saw a few clerics that don't know when to spam heal or not. When to heal others(other than your own party members) and reviving others... just see a lack of supportive clerics

-parties...i dont really mind cleric gameplay...still somewhat interesting to me...maybe playing on a cleric is boring, but watching them play is interesting in my opinion...especially during those times when everything seems to be going wrong...people dying and spamming chat...lol...and everyone survivies in the end. I actually have fun being a cleric in parties

-farming...guess this would be interesting. similar to your trixter's videos

-Robo KQ- This KQ is all about survival and this is where most clerics have to learn to survive and to support others. I'm more interested about Robo KQ than MD KQ with clerics.

I'm interested in these topics below, but I'm assuming you won't do them...

-clanking...i've clanked on my full end cleric in md kq...when people couldn't tank or DD.

-pvp...not abyss but pvp kq...i enjoy those videos on youtube...anything related to PvP is fun to watch.

I think the idea of an "Ask Fatal" for cleric questions would be perfect because I agree that (unless you create a clank), a cleric series of videos would be quite boring. However, I do have questions for playing my cleric and I'm sure there are others out there that do as well. But I don't think you should spend a lot of sc just to level another clerc....Anyway, here are some questions I have if you make another Ask Fatal:

1. I recently created a pair with my friend (clerc and fighter (lol, original, I know)) and I was wondering if full end is the right build? I plan on being full support...and should she go full str?

2. I've done full cd and power on heal, full time increase on invince...now what? should I save my skill points for something?

3. my friend (the fighter) and I would like to farm bosses so we can get ourselves blues (its not really about making money, neither of us have the patience to collect and sell much, we just want our own sets). At what lvl should we try to farm each boss? Its hard to decide...if we try at a lvl too low, we die or it takes forever. If we try at a lvl too high...very poor drop rate. Suggestions?

and this isnt cleric related, but Im not sure what to do on my archer...what did you use skill points on with your SharpShooter?

Even though I do not see PvP topics very often on your blogs I would like to see clerics' perspective of PvP. I mean, how would you use all your pre-prestige skills in a PvP situation (GW, GT or any other scenary).

As far as Ask Fatal-Cleric Edition: great idea!How do you handle buffing? Soloing? Duoing partner's preferable class? All that topics are hot matter :P

Actually being a Cleric is Stress, but i like Cleric! :D It seem to be bored being a Cleric but when you have some good lvling partner you'll see the fun. and ofcoz different people choose different things. ^^

Peoples are using a cleric as a Free Pods?Buffer?Cleric made to be a Free Pods and Buffer but if you felt tired of Buffing, then hide in side your mushies, Rude people are just ignore them :p that's what i do

Do Not Blame Cleric when you Cant take hits EVER!Yes,Don't ever do that to hurt a Cleric feeling. everyone experience lag and dc'ed, so when a Cleric is lag you should know what's called Self Pods! [ps: this is the reason why the Isya World getting less Cleric nowday] D:And the important reminder is : Cleric is JUST trying to keep you alive not to make you Immortal.

A Solo Cleric?Srsly, Don't be silly! Cleric can't kill a thing fast,even with a +10 hammer! so if you still choose to solo and you use few Hrs to kill 200 BBs? then i'll wish you Good Luck.

PvP or PvE Cleric?No matter you going to be HolyKnight or Guardian you still under the 'PvE Content'! As you can see Cleric cant kill a thing, and dont tell me Crit Buff helps while you soloing or in PvP, All Lies! a Glad with a +10 tbk can kill you less then 5 hits, a Lock/Wiz AOEs+Fear+MB = Die! Archers, don't think you can get near them lolz. you cant even get near to them how your Crit buff work?

Guardian or HolyKnight?I'll say depend on your play style. And yes out of 90% player choose HolyKnight coz of the Buff upgrade and Crit Buff, but Guardian also have it benefit, Rebirth and Dispel Pillar are useful while running LN or SL or even Grinding!

What's the Best Cleric Build?I have 2 Cleric,lvl103 HolyKnightlvl70 Paladin (Going to be Guardian)My HolyKnight Build atm: 27DEX 90END 25SPRFuture Guardian Build : 50DEX Rest ENDFor my opinion, putting 25SPR(+125 SP|+13 M.Def|5% Crit) on a Cleric is a waste as a Blue Pants cover the SP given by the 25SPR, make all your accessories to +3 you have more then 13 M.Def, as in Crit ... Coz a Cleric dont Fight so totally a waste! D:

Why Cleric need DEX?You have to stay alive to heal your party members so you need Def(END) M.Def(From accessories) and Evasion! Evasion do play an important part at higher lvls, as higher lvls won't have juz 3~10mobs at a time, there will be 20~35! and they hit hard, so a MISS might save your life ^^

If anything wrong with my post or you have a better suggestion for Cleric pls Correct me. ^^Enjoy the game.

Well, if you do not enjoy cleric then put yourself thru it and just do and "Ask Fatal" edition ;)

However, I think full support cleric can also be "clank" (tanking is after all a support role). In DT I found it extremely important to learn how to establish aggro and pull so I could set the pace in the runs due to lack of good tanks around.

Maybe a KQ where you gotta keep several targets alive (like in MD's AOE) or what to do when the main tank is not necessarily in your party.

In either case, seems like you REALLY dislike it, so I would just stick to a QST and ANS format :P

I agree with what iDanzell said about clerics supporting and not making people immortal. To actually be a good player, one needs to know about all classes, that's what would make people stop always blaming clerics if they die! I've been DT'ing lately and well, we can definitely see other party members' behavior and their eventual faults: tank losing aggro and not doing anything, mages/archers being too close to the mobs and getting aoe'd (which wouldn't be that bad if they had somewhat of def), cheap mages not using scrolls, people waiting to get healed although the tank is extremely in need of all cleric's attention. These are just some of what I can think of now. Actually in my last Gordon Master Kq, this mage would run to Gordon to tank(?). I'm still not sure why. He wasn't scrolled or charmed or anything, he would just get one hit right away, yet he kept doing it. I guess he didn't mind dying since he wouldn't have lost exp, yet it still was frustrating for me. Having to waste time to rev and buff him, while the fighter was there tanking. So yeah there might not be a lot of good clerics out there and definitely I'm not one, but we can't just blame them for everything. Anyways, I'd like to ask whether it's easier to choose the party member through F2~F5 or simply click on their name on the party "window".I'd usually click but I somewhat saw this weird delay (it might be my laggy computer, actually I'm pretty sure it's because of it) that makes me heal the previous person instead of the one I've just clicked on.